I am a logophile, someone who love words. I am also a lover of numbers. Although I am not sure whether there is a special word for that, I do love to create mathematical equations of numbers and try to make sense of them. I guess you could say that I’m a bit of a nerd. Today, I decided to blog about the concept of gratitude. Here is what I learned about this trisyllabic concept.

Gratitude is one word, nine letters and three syllables. According to Biblical symbolism, the number nine refers to divine completeness or finality. Jesus died on the ninth hour of the day (3 p.m.). Gratitude. Nine letters. Three syllables. The number three is also significant. It’s the number of completion. Jesus was placed on the cross on the third hour of the day (9 a.m.) and died at the ninth hour (3.m.). Gratitude. Nine letters. Three syllables.

If I were to be completely honest, I didn’t really know the significance of these numbers until I decided to do some research for the post. All I knew was that gratitude was nine letters and three syllables. However, the revelation of the numerical significances was not lost on me. As Christians, gratitude is more than being grateful for what we have, it’s about recognizing and appreciating Jesus’ sacrifice—his ultimate sacrifice, where he gave his life so that we could have freedom. Yes, our Earthly possessions do provide us with some comfort, and we should be grateful for them, but more than that, we should be grateful for the opportunities that have been laid before us because of what Christ did on the cross. Our lives on Earth is not just a gift of terrestrial gratification, it is an opportunity for celestial investments. While on Earth, we not only get to enjoy the planet, but we also get to make preparation for our final destination. This investment is only made possible by the sacrifices of Jesus Christ. So, no matter what we go through in this life we should find gratitude in the fact that there is something to look forward to beyond our time in this world. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world,” (John 16:33, NIV).

Gratitude. Nine letters. Three syllables. There is some finality inherent in the concept of gratitude. Oftentimes, gratitude is the final step of introspection. When many of us reflect on our lives, we often resign to a place of reconciliation where we realize that we have a lot to be thankful for. Our relatively health and happiness are reasons enough for celebration.

Gratitude, that three-syllable word, also makes us complete. It closes the gaping hole in our hearts and our spirits by allowing us to realize that we truly have more than we need and that we lack nothing essential.

Today, my challenge for all of us it to be grateful—express a little gratitude. “All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory,” (2 Corinthians 4:15, NLT).